


Ferrous

by ineffablesheep



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AO3 won't let me format this properly so I'll try sort that out after a nap, Captain Ostrich, Civil War Team Iron Man, Dubious Morality, Implied/Referenced Violence, M/M, Minor Injuries, POV Bucky Barnes, Possessive Bucky Barnes, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve Rogers is not a good bro, The team are not good bros, These tags sound dark I promise it's not, Today is still not the day that I'm nice to Steve, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, dark bucky barnes, hehe, it's slight but it's there, not with his head so far in the sand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 08:49:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17763641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesheep/pseuds/ineffablesheep
Summary: Steve likes to wear rose-coloured glasses and look back at the past. Iron Man likes to fly around in Hot-Rod red and create the future.The Winter Soldier likes to wax poetic about Tony Stark and the colour of rust





	Ferrous

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't sleep till four this morning and this is what was going around in my head all night. It's unbeta'd and I'm falling asleep as I type so if there's any mistakes or it flows weirdly, I'll try have a look at it when I'm awake

 

When Winter thought back through his old memories, they were patchy. Sepia tinted remnants of someone else's life. Of course, there were bright spots that called to him, the atmosphere of the dance halls on a Friday night, the swing of the music, the feel of a body pressed close to his own.

And then there was Hydra. He remembered more than he'd have liked but he refused to let go of these ones. Pain and death gripped even the good moments - Rumlow was _definitely_ compensating - but they were a part of who he was now. They held those fuzzy moments when Bucky had slowly become Winter, grey wash replacing the sepia, much to Steve's disappointment.

And now, in the future with his old best friend? Everything was too loud, too noisy, too fast, and Winter loved it. Relished it all the more for the fact Steve hated it. It was bright in ways that Steve could never hope to colour their shared past.

Of course, Winter didn't exactly help the situation but why should he? He wasn't Steve's precious Bucky and the man needed to get that in his head. They can't go back, this is who they are and where - when - they are now.

The brightest part of _now_ though is Tony. Not Tony stark, the man who can light up the universe and stands out from the brightness of _now_ like a sore thumb. Louder than the way Steve slammed the door when Winter did something that wasn’t “Bucky”. Not him. It was his Tony, his Antoshka.

Winter knew nothing would be easy sailing after everything thing that had happened. It'd taken a 3am screaming match and a few blows from either side before the tears rolled in and they'd each fled. Tony had come to him a week later, eyes downcast and full of sincerity and apologised. _For everything_. Even things that were out of his control or justifiable, as though he was accountable for the Earth spinning on her axis. And Winter took it, returning fire with his own apology that Tony tried so dam hard to refuse.

That should have been it. It really should have been, especially with the way Steve did his utmost to protect Bucky from everything that was Tony. Something had caught his eye though, amongst the hawks and peacocks that surrounded him. It wasn't until Winter's arm began to malfunction though that he had an opportunity to inspect the dull smudge that he’d noticed that night.

Tony wasn't the over-colourful supernova Winter was expecting when he’d arrived at Steve’s heel. He was dull, almost like the sepia memories that Steve hounded after. A hollow quip at breakfast, plastic smile when turning down movie night, Iron Man was the brightest he got.

It was awkward, to say the least. But a patch job led to maintenance led to spending time in the lab and before long Winter had worked his way into Tony's life. Or maybe Antoshka had worked his way into his. Didn't matter. Not now that he got to really see him.

Tony Stark was Iron Man, and Iron Man was his Antoshka, hidden away beneath a suit of metal. One of Steve's team once called it a rust bucket, disdain dripping from their words. They were right, not that Winter would ever tell them. His Antoshka wore his suit like a layer of rust, iron oxide protecting the good metal underneath from further damage.

There was bronze in the way Tony gave and gave and gave, his generosity broad brush strokes of warmth. A deep copper in his eyes when he smiled and a gentle brown saturating the care he had for his AI children. Brittle dark patches showed when his Antoshka made a move in battle that was that little bit too risky, too close to scraping the rust right off. The silver when a barb struck beneath the protective layer. A deep, rich red that stood firm when the world went after the Winter Soldier on behalf of Tony himself, against those who tried to manipulate the accords, against those who'd harm his family. Overlooked and overworked and unappreciated, yet brighter and more colourful than the Hot Rod red of Tony Stark.

Time in the lab became trips into town, and before long his Antoshka was sitting next to him at breakfast. He helped himself to toast as Maximoff glared at Winter. Not at Tony, no, she wouldn't dare after what he'd said to her. Her broken fingers would heal before long; but she didn't need all ten to do magic if she forgot.

_"You know, I don't really know what to call you." His Antoshka murmured against his bare chest, the pair sated for the night. "You're not Bucky and you're not the Winter Soldier, and I can't just call you nicknames forever. So what's it gonna be Snowflake?"_

The archer didn't make any more snide comments when Tony joined for movie night - not that he could with his jaw wired shut. Such a nasty training accident, but he'd been nice and kept the break clean. This time. His Antoshka simply smiled and tucked himself closer under Winter's arm. Steve's teeth grated across the room and Winter didn't bother to hide the smug grin that tugged at his mouth.

_"I like Winter, and I like your nicknames. They're... colourful. Like you." They're warm, he wanted to say, like the rust you wear as armour and your body beneath mine._

_"Fine, Winter it is then. Or James. What about Yasha if you want something closer to home?"_

Natalia had been so easy to scare off. It was effortless to pull at the memories of the Red Room, bring back the fear she'd had of the Winter Soldier. Disappointing really. But she was smart, kept her distance and worked to make his Antoshka's life easier. And if she took a wrong step? Well, he could remember killing at least five of her fellow students. What was one more spider in the long run?

_"Take your pick, Antoshka." He pressed a kiss to the top of the man's head and pulled him closer where they lay. He'd worn his Antoshka out, the other man asleep before long. He kept awake a little longer, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed together, his lips grazing his Antoshka’s head as he spoke._

_"I don't mind Ferrous. You’re more than I could have hoped for as it is.”_

\---------

"Remember that? Old Henderson down the road was so angry at us he was practically spitting with rage. What was it you said to him again, when we saw him the next day?"

"Do you remember the shipping containers down at the wharf when we were kids, Steve?" Winter interrupted. His eyes stayed focused on his Ferrous as he played chess with Friday, even as Steve tried to talk to him in the kitchen. "The ones made of Cor-Ten."

"Of course Buck, they rusted badly. Used to get all over your work clothes and cause a mess. They were an ugly colour too, God I wanted to paint them up properly myself sometimes. Why?"

"No reason Steve. Just asking." In the next room his Ferrous laughed, the sound weaving a sweet auburn through Winter's thoughts. Rust was nothing like sepia. _It was much, much better._

**Author's Note:**

> Here be science nerd notes - skip a paragraph and I'll have stopped waxing poetic about steel  
> "Ferrous" metals are those that contain a significant amount of iron, and rust refers specifically to iron oxide. Tony is Iron Man, Winter wants to bang him like a screen door in a hurricane, et voila! This fic was born. Cor-Ten (or Corten) is the trademarked name for Weathering Steel. The first versions were created and put into use in the 1930s in containers and train cars. The way it rusts forms a layer of iron oxide between the steel and the oxygen/other elements and prevents further erosion. It's not a guaranteed thing and depends on the environment and design, and can rust right through, but when used properly it rusts beautifully and it's fucking gorgeous. (this might not be 100% accurate on all accounts cause I'm tired af but my family are engineers and I really enjoyed redox chemistry in school. I need to stop rambling I'm sorry)
> 
> Non-science nerd notes  
> I wanted to try a more morally-iffy Bucky, a version of him where he's more a combination of Bucky and the Winter Soldier than I usually write. He's a lot more open to violence and considers Tony his - up to you whether Tony realises just what his partner is prepared to do for him. And I just really wanted him to call Tony Ferrous
> 
> Your kudos and comments are always treasured,  
> Love, Sheep x


End file.
